We’re in the middle of August, but summer — or winter, if you’re living in the Southern Hemisphere — isn’t over! The best of it is yet to come, and gamers, you’ll probably love it the most. It has to do with this year’s Gamescom, which will be held from 23-27 August!
Thought your summer (or winter) trips were over, ha? We hope not because it’s an event worth visiting! In fact, we’re writing this blog post in its honor. It’s one of the biggest gaming events in the world, so we wanted to give you a brief overview of it and introduce you to other large events of this type. Enjoy!
1. Gamescom
One of the top gaming conventions, Gamescom, is the August fever gamers pledge allegiance to for a fun 4-5-day stretch. The show is held in Germany but is open to international audiences. And boy, is it worth visiting. From cutting-edge hardware and gaming engines to games that reinvent genres, the con celebrates the finest aspects of tech.
With over 1,000 exhibitions crafted by industry giants, the show is a magnet for 370,000+ gaming enthusiasts. And if, for some reason, you can’t attend it, you can still indulge in hours of techy madness: the event is live-streamed on YouTube, Twitch, and its official website! Plus, if you like cosplaying, you’re in for a big, juicy, costume-y treat — the game show welcomes dedicated cosplayers!
2. Mid-Season Invitational
Can you feel LoL overtaking the pixelated world of epic team-based plays? We certainly can, and Mid-Season intensifies our MOBA thrill! This international tournament is a real happening in Asia. Of course, with a minimum prize pool of $250,000, you can go home big IF you can masterfully eradicate the opponent’s base. The cheering crowds are pretty intense, too; the atmosphere — electrifying.
The event is also the favorite of aspiring players who want to improve their at-home League of Legends performance. If that’s you, you can polish your Calibrum and Severum skills and root for your number-one competitor by watching the show online. You can be a part of a super large viewer base of over 127,000 million adventure-thirsty LoL-ers digitally supporting champions!
3. China Joy
Standing on top of the bigger gaming industry events list, China Joy is where Chinese game developers exhibit their latest achievements. Fun fact: lots of mega-companies in the field are based in China. So, if there’s a place to cast yourself into the wonders of the Chinese gaming culture, this is undoubtedly it. And you won’t be the only one to do that — count on 270,000+ other peeps going the same path!
If you’re a fan of Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox (who isn’t?), you must hit CJ. And guess what you should do if you’re a gentle, artistic soul who likes to slay a few enemies with a Leviathan Axe! Hit CJ, of course! The event hosts many exhibitions related to literature, art, and music!
4. QuakeCon
Here’s an old kid on the gameshow block — QuakeCon. Xennials and Millenials have had a blast at this con, and nowadays, Zoomers can’t have enough of it! It’s not a humongous nook for a super-sized audience (it usually has about 10,000 attendees). However, it has a history that even some of the biggest global gaming expos envy.
The event first took place in 1996, starting as a promising LAN, bring-your-own-computer party. Its name comes from that of id Software’s game Quake, a shooter game probably as old as you. This name is nowadays a relic of the past of ZeniMax, the owner of id Software, and a trademark that’s part of the promotion of many of the company’s franchises.
5. Tokyo Game Show
Back to the biggest gaming events, the Tokyo Game Show sure is one to impress you. This Japanese event annually hosts around 270,000 folks! That’s not surprising, considering that hundreds of companies choose to introduce their creations to the gaming population at this show. Can you imagine many high-tech gaming inventions surrounding you as you accidentally bump into fellow players? It’s an Alice-in-Techland-like experience!
If you plan to fly off to Japan and attend the show in person, be ready to walk your miles around superb releases. The event lasts for four long September days! However, it’s closed to the general audience during days one and two — that’s when industry professionals get to “gossip” about what is in and dated in the VG world. Still, pack your best pair of sneakers because the space you’ll be strolling around is hyu-gi-oh (especially the General Exhibition area)!
6. E3
E3 is undoubtedly one of the most notable gaming expos. It’s been running for as long as 26 years, giving LA the extra gaming flair it needs. And it’s a mid-size event by concept, with 60,000+ folks stepping by to explore the cream of VG gadgets. Once an invitation-only experience, this fast-growing expo has been open to everyone who has joystick buttons collapsing under their command since 2018.
E3 mainly exists to commemorate the efforts of developers, manufacturers, and publishers. However, its creators like to pet the visiting crowds on the back. That said, the event always ends with a conference where gamers get to understand what’s cooking in the industry. It’s not the conventional convention, so if you want to run away from the typical, go for it.
7. Pax
Another unique gaming con you should tippytoe to is Pax. The whole thing started as the Penny Arcade Expo. However, it later bloomed into a con that showcases fantastic arcades, independents, and tabletops. If you’ve been fine and slaying with your one-and-only gaming keyboard for ages but want a new pastime game, this is your event. The show has little to do with promoting big console games and top-notch tech.
So, you want to check out this convention if mainstream developments give you a 360-degree eye-roll. But you can also give it a chance because of the Omegathon. During this event, attendees get randomly selected to join a gaming tournament. If you get picked out, you can compete even in games like Tetris for a nice prize!
8. Brazil Games Show
It isn’t big — it’s absolutely, ridonculously enormous! With over 300,000 attendees each year, the Brazil Games Show is a giant gaming convention. It even claims there isn’t a bigger game show in the world! We believe these claims — the con’s diverse schedule supports them. Anyone can get something out of it, even if they have a gaming project to kickstart!
Well, especially if they’re a promising kickstarter. The convention focuses on the exhibition of developers dipping their toes in the waters of this industry. Therefore, if your goal is to get a foot in the door in this field, the foot, the door, and the gaming world are yours! All you need to do is show up with a catchy product to woo the masses.
9. SPIEL
Mm-hmm, board games are always in. But in Germany, they’re the thing! Video games, sorry, but you aren’t mahjong-ing the SPIEL way; you’re too cheesy, not chees-y. At least, that’s what the creators of this gaming event might be thinking. So, if you’re into pawns — we are, too — but no apps and electronics, you’ve found the best event to try the Queen’s Gambit.
Interestingly, despite its unconventional nature, the convention has an impressive attendance. This fact proves that the board game niche is a fierce competitor to the VG one. And that’s fantastic! If anything can drive innovation in both of these branches of gaming, it’s competition! And so far, both sides are doing more than okay and growing fast!
10. DreamHack
Once a year, DreamHack fills the entire world with joy. It’s held everywhere, with the main thing happening in Sweden. It’s the perfect eSports event for those with a strong sporting spirit in a digital era. However, this is not all the event has to offer. If you decide to attend it, you will find Ubisoft and Nintendo products scattered around the event area.
Moreover, DreamHack has the largest PC festival and LNA party with the fastest internet speeds on the planet. If this isn’t how you nurture the competitive spirit among gamers willing to bust the butts of fellow players in all sorts of games, we don’t know what is! There are even digital arts competitions for those who see art in each pixel.
Be a Proud Mario — Collect Your Coins!
A lot of it is fun and games, isn’t it? If you believe so, as we do, celebrate life and its joys by going to some of the biggest gaming events in the world. However, you might want to make some money before you do that! Tickets exist, after all!
Whether you have some salary money to spare or not, extra cash is always good. If you still agree with us, we recommend you give Pawns.app a shot. Our side income application lets you earn by completing online surveys and sharing your unused bandwidth. Dollars are worth installing it, don’t you agree? Finally, enjoy exploring different gaming conferences!
